Baltimore has a need for Amtrak – and maglev service, too

In a virtual hearing before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure this week, Amtrak CEO William J. Flynn observed that a proposed magnetic levitation train running between the District of Columbia and Baltimore would “benefit only a small number of affluent travelers,” with ticket prices that would overwhelm the average Amtrak or MARC commuter. He also suggested to members of Congress that scarce transportation dollars would be far better spent on expanding Amtrak’s high-speed rail service to bring it more in line with successful systems in Europe and Asia.